30 FIFTH BIENNIAL CARIBBEAN ENVIRONMENTAL FORUM AND EXHIBITION
<strong>Caribbean</strong>’s sustainability problems. The potential of these technologies to reduce overall carbon dioxide emissions and associated climate change impacts has been a significant driver. From an economic standpoint, use of indigenous renewable energy sources can reduce foreign exchange in many countries where petroleum products make up a sizeable proportion of countries’ imports. In terms of energy security, a more diverse energy supply will reduce the overall vulnerability of the sector. There have been a number of initiatives by governments in the <strong>Caribbean</strong> as well as regional organizations to promote the use of renewable energy. However, although there have been some isolated success stories, progress in implementing renewable energy projects has been limited. It is clear that access to capital is a barrier to development, but aspects of organizational and institutional structure also constitute impediments. These more tacit variables tend to be ignored or dismissed in designing energy programs or formulating policy. This paper considers some of these organizational and institutional challenges posed to developing renewable energy technologies in the <strong>Caribbean</strong>. We investigate institutional aspects both from the perspective of the formal; which is defined by aspects such as legislation, regulation and written policies; and the informal created by norms, local culture and the impact of individual champions or entrepreneurs. In determining the best way for policy and organizational sector arrangements to be set up at regional and national levels, we apply aspects of institutional theory. The data for this study was collected via analysis of government and electricity utility documents, participant observation and exploratory semi- structured interviews with officials in <strong>Caribbean</strong> states. Feed-in-tariffs (FiT) – An attractive renewable energy policy support mechanism for the <strong>Caribbean</strong> by Duane Rowe Feed-in-tariff schemes (FiTs) are applied extensively over the world – particularly in Europe – and have in general achieved significant success (most notable in Germany and Spain) – though the level of success, which depends on the particular design of the FiT and other exogenous factors, varies widely. A well designed FiT can provide an effective policy framework that delivers transparent and long term certainty to investors which, consequently, would spur investments in renewable electricity (RES-E) generation. In addition, practice has shown welldesigned FiTs to be superior to other renewable energy incentive schemes in terms of effectiveness and cost-efficiency. In other words, FiTs have been demonstrated to achieve larger deployment at lower costs. Based on the foregoing, the author is proposing that FiTs be seriously examined as an attractive policy incentive scheme for adaptation in the <strong>Caribbean</strong>. In the presentation, the author will: establish the key objectives of any renewable energy incentive scheme; establish the key characteristics of successful FiTs and outline their comparative benefits to other RES-E support mechanisms; examine the key design features of FiTs; and show how the particular design of FiTs can affect their effectiveness. In delivering the presentation, the author will use case studies of five countries (including Germany and Spain) to present his arguments and will draw on his experience of establishing the qualitative design framework for the feed-in-tariff scheme that was recently instituted in Great Britain. Renewable Energy Development on Nevis - Lessons Learned by Ernie Stapleton The Nevis Island Administration (NIA) signed a Wind Resource Contract with Windwatt Inc., a locally established or incorporated company. In addition the Nevis Electricity Company (Nevlec) also signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). These agreements were executed in July 2009. The objectives are that the company will develop a wind farm with a capacity of 2.2 MW on government leased land and supply 1.1 MW of wind energy to the Nevlec grid. Currently eight (8) 275 KWh wind turbines are being constructed at the selected site on the island of Nevis with commissioning expected by July 2010. In April 2009 the NIA signed a Geothermal Resource Contract with WIP for the production of geothermal power for the island of Nevis. On the same date Nevlec also signed a PPA with WIP to supply 10 MW power to the company. WIP has to prove that it can produce an economically developable resource by the end of December 2010. However because of several setbacks including securing finance, WIP requested an extension and was given until 30 June 2011 to produce electricity and to obtain the necessary concessions from the government. Hence the focus of the project now is to supply Nevis with 10 MW and St. Kitts with 30 MW thereafter. The threats to the islands from climate change, the uncertainty in the movement in the price of oil, the need for energy independence, energy security, and the need to diversify the economy and seek other economic/development opportunities are all factors which should cause all governments to remain focused and steadfast in the quest to develop and implement renewable energy projects and sustainable development in general. The paper will explore lessons learned from these initiatives. Policy achievements and perspectives for RE electricity generation in the <strong>Caribbean</strong> by Detlef Loy Electricity Generation from Renewable Energy Sources has received growing attention in the <strong>Caribbean</strong> in recent years, due to the high dependency on oil imports, rising petroleum prices with subsequent consequences for electricity tariffs at consumer level and a continuously more competitive RE cost regime, in particular for technologies using wind and solar energy. This process has been accompanied in various countries by new national strategies and targets for the use of RE, including changes within the legal and regulatory framework that open the power generation market for new innovative players and investors. The presentation will report on how island states such as Jamaica, Dominica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Lucia and Grenada have dealt so far with replacing the traditional fossil-fuel based elec- 31 A B ST TR RA AC T C S T S FIFTH BIENNIAL CARIBBEAN ENVIRONMENTAL FORUM AND EXHIBITION